Fall of Ceausescu: 30 years later

[Tim]

This coming Christmas will mark another 30th Anniversary in the fall of Communism.  

On Christmas Day, 1989, Romanian dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena, were executed by firing squad.  Unlike the other Communist leaders of Eastern Europe, Ceausescu tried to crush the pro-democracy protests by force.  He and his family ran Romania like it was their own private property and were not prepared to give that up.

However, Ceausescu underestimated the force of history that was against him.  When the Romanian military turned on him (after he had ordered them to gun down protestors), that was all she wrote. 

When the shots were fired, most were aimed at Elena, which showed how hated she was (in private she called the people of Romania "worms", which showed how much she despised them). 

Later, when things had calmed down, some felt that they should have been given a proper trial, however, things just moved too fast for that.  It was like what happened to Mussolini in 1945.  Many felt that he should have gotten a trial as well. 

Mind you, I felt no sympathy for Ceausescu and his wife.  At least it was fast for them, unlike many of the people they had tortured and killed over their two decade reign of terror.

[Squad 51]

Neither did I. I guess my interest lay more in our direct neighbors like Poland and Czech as well as Slovanian Republic. (Correct me if I wrote it wrong ) The other countries were also far away.

[Tim]

In most of Eastern Europe, the dictators knew it was over and peacefully gave up.  Ceausescu was the only one who tried to use force against his people, and he and his wife paid the price for that.

[Squad 51]

Yeah, if you heard what they called him in Romania. It's no wonder that the power got him in the end.

[Tim]

Ceausescu gave himself many a fancy title, such as "Genius Of The Carpathians".

And Elena did him one better.  She gave herself the image of a brilliant scientist and had all these degrees.  In reality, it was unlikely that the woman could read.  As for those degrees, she had them made up.  Romanian scientists would write the papers, and she would just sign her name to them.

Elena Ceausescu was no more a scientist that I'm a rodeo clown.

[Squad 51]

Elena collected honorous titles from all universities over the world. As if she were a good scientist, as you said before, Tim.

[Tim]

Dec 25, 2019 8:54:53 GMT -5 Squad 51 said:

Elena collected honorous titles from all universities over the world. As if she were a good scientist, as you said before, Tim.

Yeah, I know.  And I doubt she could read most of them.   Of course, the Romanian scientists couldn't do anything about it.   If they did, they were either shot or thrown into prison.

I remember seeing a news broadcast, after the revolution.  They were going through one of the Ceausescu's many homes, and they had solid gold water taps!  All that while their people starved by the thousands!

[Squad 51]

Yep, saw that too. Such luxus whereas their people lived from nothing. Not to forget the "Peoples' house" which is the second biggest house worldwide. Founded by Ceausescu himself and also involved in building it. Many old houses were destroyed during an earthquake in the 1980ies. And that was built instead!

[Tim]

Not to mention that honking huge palace he was building for himself in the middle of Bucharest.  He never got to live in it, because of the revolution.

I believe the Romanian Parliament uses it now.

[Squad 51]

Yep, that's true. Still, wonder what dictators of any kind are capable of.

[Tim]

Ceausescu apparently tried to build a cult of personality around himself like the Kim family in North Korea.

However, as we saw, Ceausescu's cult failed.

[Squad 51]

There are many cults that failed in that case. Hitler, Mussolini, some Soviet leaders. Shall I go on?

[Tim]

And, of course, Ceausescu met the same fate as Mussolini did.

That's what happens when the people turn on you.